A breakthrough in simulating the Moon’s electrostatic environment on Earth offers a promising foundation for future lunar exploration. By accurately replicating and assessing the effects of lunar dust, this technology provides essential insights for overcoming one of the major obstacles in space missions, paving the way for advanced lunar research and in-situ resource utilization initiatives. Photograph of photoelectric current measurement unit.
Given that the Moon has nearly no atmosphere, dust can be easily blown away even by small impacts due to the minimal air resistance. Electrostatically charged regolith particles may cause severe damage to space exploration devices when they become stuck on them. For example, when stuck on PV cells, these particles degrade electricity generation efficiency.
The chamber developed by KICT incorporates ultraviolet lamps, electronic beams, and plasma generators to positively or negatively charge the surfaces of test objects. Going forward, this equipment can be used to electrostatically charge a replica of lunar soil using ultraviolet radiation and electron beams. It will help to determine how much material adheres to rovers and to anticipate potential problems.
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